Life of a Tabby Cat
by Vayalin Whisper
Summary: Because 1; we all love Minerva McGonagall and 2; a drabble a day keeps the doctor away. Written for wvvampire's 366 Days of Words – Word a Day Challenge on the HPFC forum.
1. Doyenne

**Daily Drabbles**

Written for wvvampire's 366 Days of Words – Word a Day Challenge on the HPFC forum.

_Write a drabble/ficlet/chapter a day based on or around the www(dot)dictionary(dot)com word of the day for each day of the current year! It's as easy as that. Use the word in the chapter or let it inspire the chapter._

_These drabbles are not in order but they all have something to do with my all-time favourite character: Minerva McGonagall_

doyenne- A woman who is the senior member of a group, class, or profession.

Dumbleodre was dead. Albus Dumbledore, her tutor and trusted friend, was dead. It took several seconds for the truth to sink in. _He is gone_, she told herself. _Forever. _  
>'Minerva?' It was Filius Flitwick. 'What are we going to do?'<br>'I don't know.' was her whispered answer. She really didn't know- for most of her life there had always been Albus there to support her, give advice or comfort her. But now he was gone.

Minerva McGonagall straightened up. She had to do this alone, after all she was the new headmistress of Hogwarts and everyone was depending on her.


	2. Peroration

**1. A long speech characterized by lofty and often pompous language. **

**2. **_**Rhetoric. **_**The ****concluding****part****of ****a ****speech****or****discourse,****in ****which****the ****speaker ****or ****writer ****recapitulates ****the ****principal ****points ****and ****urges ****them ****with ****greater****earnestness ****and ****force.**

'...tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the-'  
>The welcoming feast was coming to an end and the students all looked as if they were going to fall asleep any second now.<p>

_'_Hem-Hem... ' Dolores Umbridge, who had until then remained silent, stood up. 'Thank you for those kind words of welcome.' she said it in a girly voice. Minerva's expression hardened. How dare she interupt Albus Dumbledore? 'The Ministry of Magic', Umbridge continued, 'has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be very important...' What followed was the beginning of a long hatred. **T****his was hard, I had to cut Umbridge's speech a lot to fit the 100 word limit and most of this is very aprupt- I would have loved to elaborate on Minerva's feelings. Anyway, what do you think? Please review!**


	3. Exgogitate

Excogitate  
>1. To think out; devise; invent<br>2. To study intently and carefully in order to grasp or comprehend fully.

Transfiguration. For most just a subject, a source of homework. For her, it was more. Much more. It was her life. She still remembered her first Transfiguration lesson with Professor Dumbledore. She had been the first one in the class to transform her match into a needle back in her first year and continued to excogitate Transfiguration as she grew older. She became an Animagus. She won several awards and was featured in Transfiguration Today 7 times, as of 1956. And now she would teach Transfiguration herself. Minerva took a deep breath and allowed the students to enter the classroom.


	4. Caprice

Caprice  
><em>A sudden, unpredictable change, as of one's mind or the weather.<em>

_I am getting married to Dougal McGregor, the man I love., s_he thought. Minerva was sitting on her bed, thinking. Dougal had proposed to her on the field and she had accepted. She hadn't told her parents yet- how would they react? Would they be happy for her? Or sad that she would have to leave the wizarding world? Minerva shook her head. _What does it matter what my parents think? This is my life._, she thought. _I will leave my old life behind for Dougal. A farmer, _she added_. _Tears rolled down her cheeks.No, she wouldn't marry him.


	5. Pied

Pied  
><em>Having<em>_patches__of__two__or __more __colors,__as__various__birds__and__other__animals._

'You like that, Galileo?' A young girl was sitting under a tree, stroking a pied cat. 'Soon we will be going to Hogwarts. Are you excited?' But instead of answering the cat just yawned. Minerva giggled. 'I already read all my schoolbooks and they were really interesting. I can't wait to start with transfiguration!'

'Miao.' was Galileo's answer. The young girl let out a long sigh.

'Sorry, I believe that I have to go now, it's lunch time.' She stood up and straightened her dress. 'Let's go.' And suddenly she seemed more like an adult than like a little child.


	6. Filiopietistic

filiopietistic

_Pertaining to reverence of forebears or tradition, especially if carried to excess. _

It was small, slim and silver. Minerva McGonagall carefully picked up the object which was lying on her desk. An I-Phone, the Mugglestudies teacher had explained to her. After lifting the spell that had hindered electrical appliances from working on the Hogwartsgrounds last year (Muggle-born kids had complained that they were unable to comunicate with their parents) the headmistress had decided that it was time for her to stop being oldfashioned and get an I-Phone. She tried to use it and, to her surprise, it wasn't even hard. Now her only problem was that she had nobody to call. Yet.


	7. Crib

**Crib **

_A__child's__bed__with__enclosed__sides._

James Sirius Potter. What a name was that? Two of Hogwarts' worst trouble-makers in one name. What were they thinking when they gave their son that name? The headmistress was standing in the living room of the Grimauld Place 12. Harry was grinning and Ginny was lying on the couch, smiling weakly. A lot of red haired people and family friends were busily congratulating the new parents and taking a look at the little black-haired boy lying in the crib. Minerva sighed. She had survived the Marauders, the Weasly Twins and the Golden Trio- but one more Generation of pranksters?


	8. Piacular

piacular

1. Expiatory; atoning; reparatory.

2. Requiring expiation; sinful or wicked.

Minerva McGonagall had a habit to stand up every morning at 5 o'clock to mark transfiguration essays.

When she got up on that Monday she immediately knew that something was wrong. A quick glance in the mirror showed her that her hair was pink. With a quick wave of her wand she fixed it. Only then did she notice the extend of the damage. On her desk was the pile of transfiguration essays she had planned on marking, all with a big O and a heart next to it.

'On day, these Marauders will pay.' she muttered, shaking her head.


	9. Screed

**Screed****  
><strong>_Scot._a tear or rip, especially in cloth.

Now, screed has many meanings but since Minerva is scottish I couldn't resist taking the scottish meaning.^^

'Stop it, Dougal!' Minerva giggled when he started kissing her in the rose bushes. 'Why? Are you afraid that someone will see us?' the young farmer teased her and continued to plaster her neck with kisses. 'All right, I give up!' Minerva shrieked and closed her eyes.  
>Their little meeting was interrupted when Dougal's mother called him home for dinner. 'I have to go, sweet Minnie. Same time tomorrow?' he whispered. Minerva nodded and stood up to give him a final hug. Then he left and she was left alone in the rose bushes, with a screed in her dress.<p>


	10. Depone

**Depone**

To testify under oath; depose

Minerva MacGonagall hadn't always been the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts. For two years she worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as part of the Animagus Administration office. Not a single Animagus was registered during the short time she worked there, however she did witness a lot of trials against unregistered Animagi. Many of them were criminals that used their ability to desguise themselves. Minerva thought that it was a shame that this extremely complex and fascinating branch of Transfiguration was misjudged and abused so often. But there was nothing she could do against it. Or maybe there was...

_Oh God, this is rubbish, it took me ages to write it but it's still rubbish. Sorry for posting this..._


	11. Burled

Burled  
>Having small knots that produce a distorted grain in wood<p>

It was her first night at Hogwarts. The welcoming feast was over and all her room mates were already sleeping. Only Minerva was still awake, lying in her bed, thinking. Finally being at Hogwarts was exciting but also quite scary. She didn't know any of the other students yet she was worried that she might fail her classes. With her hand Mionerva stroked the soft pinewood her bed was made from. There was a small burl, about the size of her thumb, that looked like an eye. Minerva sighed. She needen't be afraid, there was someone always watching over her.


	12. Exoteric

Exoteric  
><em>Suitable<em>_for__or__communicated__to__the__general__public._

'But Albus, I am not sure whether this is exoteric- do you really think that the students ought to know this?' Minerva was sitting in Dumbledore's office, her hands folded on her lap while the headmaster was pacing the room.

'Minerva, they need to know. Voldemort is back and soon people will start to die. These students have a right to know the truth!'

'I do understand but you only have Mr. Potter's word and... well, how can we sure that he is not... making things up?'

'Harry isn't lying.' Dumbledore paused. 'Let's go, the feast is about to start.'


	13. Cordate

**Cordate**

_Heart-shaped_

She had never liked of Valentine's Day. Too much pink and kissing, was her excuse, but the truth was that she had was afraid of not finding a date. Over the years she had gotten used to it, however on _that_ Valentine's Day...

'Minerva, I love you!' Elphinstone told her, in the middle of the corridor, holding a packet of every-flavoured chocolate hearts. Students stopped to watch the scene and Minerva blushed then sighed. Elphinstone was getting rather annoying, but...

To prevent any further embarassment she agreed to spend the day with Elphistone- the every-flavoured chocolate hearts really were delicious.


	14. Vilipend

**Vilipend**

_To regard or treat as of little value or account. _

'Safety.'

Professor McGonagall wrote the word on the blackboard and underlined it. 'This is something that you shouldn't vilipend.' she said and gazed at the students which looked nervous and slightly scared. 'Transfiguration', she then continued, 'is a highly dangerous subject and, if you don't pay attention, you might end up being a table for the rest of your life. Do you want that?' The first years shook their heads. All except one. He lifted his hand. 'Yes Mr...?'

'Potter. James Potter. I was wondering if your table has anything to do with the disapperance of Jonathan Rahman last week.'

**Argh, I am starting to run out of ideas...**


End file.
